Tuesday, 10 September 2013

We are
fast approaching 1st October 2013, a significant date for farming
businesses in England that employ agricultural workers. As from 1st October the
comprehensive employment framework that has laid down minimum wages and other
terms of employment in agriculture for almost 100 years falls away and leaves
farming employers in a vacuum.

Only
there is not really a vacuum. There is general contract law, there is general
employment law (including the minimum wage) and there is your longstanding
relationship with your workers.

Given
that, it would be a mistake to do nothing at all. In some cases it might land
you in trouble under minimum wage legislation (the national minimum wage is set
to increase from 1st October to a level which is higher than the
current Grade 1 pay for ag workers over 21 years old and for some apprentices – a wages standstill is
not possible).

In all cases, you could lose the opportunity to reach
agreement with your workers on wages and other terms (overtime, holidays etc.)
and how they will be dealt with post AWB abolition – that also gives you a
chance to minimise the differences in how old and new workers are treated.

At the
very least, being a good employer means acknowledging the change and letting
your staff know how it will affect them.

In
other words:

doing nothing is not an option.

We
know that this time of year is not a good time to be sitting in the farm office
writing letters and having discussions with workers. To help you get the ball
rolling, Roythornes has produced a short template letter for employers to send
to their workers ahead of 1st October.

We
also have a tiered advice package, offering different levels of involvement and
price depending on your circumstances. Details are here, in our AWB briefing note.

If you
have any questions about how AWB abolition will affect your business or you
would just like us to email the template letter to you, please contact either: